Came across this Trekie website (http://www.trekmeshes.ch/) some time back, too, which offers Trek-meshes and models free. You have to choose what meshes to display, and from there it's easy-peasy to download them. As usual, terms and conditions apply as to their use, but they are free.

@Horo yes somehow I am sure it is Brandon's work, the user name is tnpir4002 which I'm sure is him on scifi-meshes.

I found out that he had completed his trek animations and I downloaded them to watch on my media server/hdtv. Very nice stuff and I also see our very own Rashad and David contributed to them as well. Amazing stuff considering it was all done in bryce and poser.

TNPIR is short for "The New Price is Right." His Price is Right sets are outstanding as well. Totally unlike anything most of us have ever sought to achieve in Bryce. That's why he's on the Steering Committee. He knows his stuff and has all sorts of passion fro Bryce and animation.

I used all day to watch those two Star Trek videos. On the whole, I was blown away by the detail of all the models used. The exteriors and interiors were exquisitely done, as was the animation of said models. Even the warping through space was superb. However...

I can't say the same for the figures used in either video, because it was the figures that were a distraction to me. Not only were their movements stilted, it looked like the crew were almost all clones. The same model was used for different crew members, which wasn't as evident until the senior officers were assembled in the ready room.

Also, listening to the female crew members speak with a male voice, the same voice in many instances, was just too much. Female characters, use a female voices. And it was very evident that final touch-up hadn't been done because the majority of the time Kristy's pony tail was still in wireframe. It got a bit worse near then end of the second video in Gar's quarters. As Kristy walked toward Gar at one point, the wireframe of the upper portion of her head was visible. It came and went as she walked. Someone also missed that Bradley was missing his left foot when he and Gar were talking on stage of the Price is Right on the holo-deck. It wasn't obvious until Bradley walked.

And when two characters were in discussion, camera position was such that the speaker was face on, catching the profile of the listener, who by the way, never blinked or twitched while listening.

Even though the figure animation bothered me, I spent some 6 + hours watching both, marveling at all the work that went in to produce these two fine pieces.

Even though the figure animation bothered me, I spent some 6 + hours watching both, marveling at all the work that went in to produce these two fine pieces.

Indeed. The obvious limitations of the movies actually point to some very high quality work that can easily be taken for granted. Yes, every character (bar one) is either "Posette" or "Dork" of Poser3/4 (in)fame with different hairstyles. But Mr Bridges' animation, voice acting and direction skills add enough humanity to these figures to make them unique, interesting and sympathetic. If you make a little leap of imagination and regard the 3D figures and voicing as sort of animatic placeholders, the movies really work comfortably.

This write-up:http://www.scifi-meshes.com/forums/content.php?137-Member-Project-Spotlight-Specter-of-the-Past
tells us the reason the amazing visuals are combined with 3D figures from the 1990s - "a shoestring budget". We're used to seeing way better 3D human models nowadays, but these productions needed to clothe, animate and lip sink a lot characters in a cheap, consistent and time efficient manner. It doesn't take a lot of browsing the stores to see the costs and incompatibilities adding up to significant problems and denaro.

But what's really making my mind boggle is the suggestion that all these space scenes were animated in Bryce. Is this the case? I can see a lack of motion blur, but the smooth flow and the epic (Star Trek matching) creative animation design would make this the best Bryce animation I have ever seen. Ever.

Either I am being especially forgetful or Brandon has been generous, but at least in my case I cannot recall providing any specific special visual effects relating to this video. Maybe he used one of my products somewhere along the lines? Or I answered a question on SC? I don't know. But there are our names on the credits.

Edit. With relation to the topic, yes it is almost inconceivable to me to attempt a project of this scope with Bryce. Brandon clearly has the patience of several saints.

@David, well maybe he used some of your materials in scenes or something similar too.

I have to say that the amount of time to set up and render each and every scene for a full length "feature" film just boggles my mind. Brandon does some of the most incredible work with bryce I have ever seen anywhere. I ran across his work some years back here on Daz forums and I was following what he was doing very closely until I had to leave the 3d scene for a couple years. In the meantime I had forgotten about him and his work but was quickly reminded when I ran across it again! For a real treat I downloaded both of his finished movies and watched them via my media server on my 50" hdtv. It was amazing! His dedication and skill are certainly things to inspire us all.

Stay tuned, he has the 3rd film in production currently with an expected "release" date of 2013. From what I've seen he just keeps getting better over the years!

Either I am being especially forgetful or Brandon has been generous...
...But there are our names on the credits.

It'll be for marketing caché; I'd send an invoice. ;-)

It's interesting that Bryce is credited for the virtual set building but not for anything else. So I'm still left wondering. Normally, the title "special visual effects" would cover all the space stuff. Maybe Rashad was very busy. In fact, he's not around so much at the moment, so maybe...

Ah yes, Brandon utilized a Light Flare I created a long time back. I've used it in scenes like the one included below. The version he used did not have the spectral banding, however. The Flares were used as the torpedoes fired from the Federation ships during the attack scenes.

I do not recall exactly which part David played, but I'm pretty sure Brandon got permission before publishing so if David can jog his memory to recall a usage request from Brandon likely it is all related to that.

Brandon is quite respectably noteworthy in his ability to follow through on huge obligations. His stuff really is amazing.

The Flares were used as the torpedoes fired from the Federation ships during the attack scenes.

Well this is a very strong indication that the space scenes were, indeed, animated in Bryce. Boggling.

Since Bryce 3D and up until now, I've considered Bryce animation as too limited to be worthwhile. Yet on show here is beautiful, graceful motion and timing that matches our expectations from seeing Star Trek on TV and at the cinema. It's almost as if he's acquired the model and camera motion paths from the productions themselves.

Inspired but time poor, I've dug out an oldie from over a decade ago. A very "straight" render with none of the artistic nebulae laden imagery generated nowadays. The big grey border is to compensate for the glaring forum colour scheme.

The Flares were used as the torpedoes fired from the Federation ships during the attack scenes.

Well this is a very strong indication that the space scenes were, indeed, animated in Bryce. Boggling.

Since Bryce 3D and up until now, I've considered Bryce animation as too limited to be worthwhile. Yet on show here is beautiful, graceful motion and timing that matches our expectations from seeing Star Trek on TV and at the cinema. It's almost as if he's acquired the model and camera motion paths from the productions themselves.

Great looking torpedoes, too.

Thanks. I was really pleased he chose to include them.

That render of yours is fantastic, Peter. Very nice space background and nice revelation of the geometry of the target model by means of lighting.